Called to Be Holy

Homily for Easter Saturday

The earliest manuscript of St. Mark’s Gospel ends with an unexpected verse: Then the women “went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

The passage we read today is called the Longer Ending to the Marcan gospel by comparison with a much briefer conclusion found in some less important manuscripts. It has traditionally been accepted as a canonical part of the gospel and was defined as such by the Council of Trent. Early citations of it by the Fathers indicate that it was composed by the second century, although vocabulary and style indicate that it was written by someone other than Mark. It is a general resume of the material concerning the appearances of the risen Jesus, reflecting, in particular, traditions found in Luke 24 and John 20.

Throughout this past week we have heard that the women and the apostles and the disciples were all amazed and confused by the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. The fact of the matter is that it took time for them to accept the fact that Jesus had risen and had been seen by various witnesses. The appearance of Jesus in the midst of the apostles gradually persuaded them to accept what their eyes and ears were telling them. Jesus was alive and in their midst. This is the exact same thing that we are asked to believe ourselves. Jesus has risen from the dead and is present among us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit and through the sacraments. While I am sure of your faith, the fact is that faith in the real presence of Jesus is said to be waning in much of the community. We should not be surprised by this as the scandals in the Church have disheartened many. However, it does emphasize for us how important it is that we profess our faith boldly as did Peter and John before the Sanhedrin. 

Peter and John are called uneducated and ordinary by the elders of Israel. Indeed, so they were. We are not called to be intelligent and extraordinary. We are called to be holy and to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, carrying our cross and praising God for the gift of the graces we have received through it.